


made sweet

by Manuscriptor



Category: A Crown of Candy - Fandom, Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Calorum Biology, M/M, Pining, no tags head empty :(, not mutual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24792592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manuscriptor/pseuds/Manuscriptor
Summary: So apparently Brennan said something about how Calorum biology works, and I decided that it's not just puberty. More subtle changes can occur later on in a person's life, just maybe less dramatic.Lapin wasn't always a milk chocolate rabbit. He used to be dark chocolate, until someone entered his life.But Theo isn't that observant.
Relationships: Lapin Cadbury & Theobald Gumbar
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	made sweet

Theo huffed as he roughly yanked off his helmet. It was a hot day to be practicing sword-work but he needed some way to work out his frustration. If he spent one more hour indoors with Lapin, he would end up working it out on the chocolate bunny’s face. He was downing a glass of cola when someone settled down next to him, grabbing a drink for themself. 

Theo didn’t have to look to know it was Toby.

“I haven’t seen you train this hard in a while,” he said. He didn’t have to actually ask anything. The question was loud and clear, even though it was unspoken. 

_What’s wrong?_

And then what he actually meant: _what did Lapin do this time?_

“I don’t even know what his deal is!” Theo said, slamming his cup down harder than he meant to. He took a moment to pull himself together, not wanting anyone to see him so frazzled. “I just . . . it’s exhausting.” 

“You know he doesn’t single you out on purpose, right?” Toby said. 

Theo just sighed and made a show of undoing the straps and buckles of his armor. He was done practicing for the day. He would head back to his rooms to get a quick three hours of sleep to get ready for the evening patrols. He ate while on duty usually, devoting as much time as possible to protecting the royal family. 

“How is this not personal?” he asked. Toby wouldn’t know, but Theo just needed to complain to someone. “He called me an idiot in front of the entire council!” 

“He called you a bumbling oaf,” Toby said with a shrug. “And come on, it wasn’t that bad.” 

“That bad?” Theo repeated. “Everyone _laughed_. Laughed at _me_! He made me look like a fool, and you think that’s a good thing?” 

Toby just rested a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from storming off. “I don’t think it’s a _bad_ thing,” he said. “Look, I know you and the Chancellor have whatever you have going on, but sometimes the politics of a court are more than . . . us. We’re the guard, not a count or a lord.” 

And that really was the truth of the matter. 

Theo had dedicated his life to the Rocks family, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t part of their world. They were highbrow and royal. He was the soldier that would die before any of them. He had accepted it a long time ago, but having an entire court laugh and chuckle at him after a single snide comment was a cut deeper than normal. 

Toby followed him back to the armory, settling down across the bench from him as they cleaned their blades and armor. 

“Was he always like this?” Theo couldn’t help but ask. 

“What do you mean?” Toby asked. 

Theo rolled his eyes. “You know exactly what I mean.” 

Toby hummed absentmindedly, focusing on a scuff in his armor as he worked to buff it out. It took him a moment to answer, but he and Theo could easily work in silence together. The weather, while hot, was clear and steady, meaning that the sky outside was blue and endless. It was the perfect day to be patrolling the outer walls. Even better for the royal family to spend time with each other outside, perhaps among the palace guards or somewhere else on the grounds. 

“He’s always been a bit bitter,” Toby finally said. “He’s chocolate, what do you expect?”

They had both finished polishing their armor, hanging it up in the proper cupboards before doing the same to their training weapons. Together, they made their way out of their storage shed, walking across the dirt training area towards the sleeping quarters. 

The training pit was surrounded by a second level balcony, allowing politicians and nobility to watch the guard train and fight. If the need arose, the space could be set up for small contests or entertainment, so it wasn’t uncommon for staff or household members to be leaning against the railing, looking down at Toby and Theo and the other guards. 

Still, when Theo noticed Lapin standing carefully off in the shadows, he couldn’t help but bristle. The chocolate rabbit probably thought he was out of view, but Theo was more perceptive than that. He spotted the Chancellor in a moment, being careful not to make it obvious that he had seen, and pulled Toby quickly out of the area. They disappeared into the hallways, and only when he knew he was out of Lapin’s critical gaze did Theo relax. 

“You need to stop letting him get in your head,” Toby said. “Sure the Chancellor has a bit of a bark but certainly no bite.” He knocked Theo in the shoulder good-naturedly. “Since when did words mean so much to you?” 

“They don’t,” Theo said, shaking himself as if he could shake off the words just like that. “I’m not. It just . . . It just gets old after a while. Doesn’t it?” 

He wanted reassurance. Someone to tell him that it wasn’t all in his head and he wasn’t going crazy. 

Toby just laughed at him, not catching on to how much it actually bothered him. “Oh, Theo,” he said. “You shouldn’t let him get to you like that.” 

And Theo didn’t want it to either. 

*****

The library of the castle was extensive and huge, filled with sugar cane paper books and tapestries woven from spun sugar. There were volumes and tomes of Candian history along with more taboo books of magic and ritual. The huge auditorium and small reading nooks were typically filled with smoke which kept the atmosphere hazy and dreamlike. People whispered in the library too, and Theo’s armor rattled as he walked, making him the loudest thing there.

Theo was looking for the princesses, supposed to gather them for dinner with their parents. Emotions were already running high with Her Majesty dealing with difficult dignitaries and His Majesty not being particularly helpful. 

If Theo could make things even a little bit easier for them, he wanted to.

“Princesses!” he whispered as loud as he dared. “Come along. It’s dinner time!” 

“Really, Lord Commander, I believed the royal library is the last place I would expect to find you.” 

Theo nearly jumped out of his armor at the words, peeved that he hadn’t heard the approach of Lapin. He would have drawn his weapon just to spite the rabbit, but they were indoors and Theo wasn’t _that_ undignified. 

“Do you really have to slink around like an insect?” he shot back, still whispering. “One would think you have something to hide.” 

Lapin just sniffed at him, tall and dignified and put together where Theo was falling apart. “Don’t we all have. . . . secrets?” he said. “It’s politics. You’d have to be an idiot to play all your cards as they are.” 

Theo wanted to defend himself against the supposed backhanded insult, but with Lapin’s gaze on him he felt more uncomfortable than he had all day. He looked down at his feet, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword without meaning to.

“I’m just looking for the princesses,” he said, teeth gritted. “I didn’t come here to pick a fight.” 

Lapin just brushed down his robes as if they were somehow dirty. “Of course you didn’t,” he said. “Because that would be . . . ridiculous.” 

It took everything in Theo not to snap back as the snooty rabbit. “Have you seen Princess Jet and Princess Ruby?” he asked.

“We’re right here!” Ruby said, popping out from behind Lapin’s robes. 

“Yeah, Theo, I’m surprised you didn’t notice,” Jet quipped, popping out of the other side. 

Theo just rolled his eyes. “I was distracted,” he said, knowing that it was a flimsy excuse. “Come on, your parents want you for dinner.” 

“But Lapin was just getting to the good part of the history of Candia,” Ruby said, grinning at her twin as if they were plotting something. 

They probably were. 

Theo didn’t have the time or energy for the three of them. Not all at once. He wanted to sigh and roll his eyes and snap, but while that was an appropriate reaction to Lapin, Theo would never do that to the princesses. So he had to neutralize his expression and not show how much the ridicule got to him. That would only encourage them. 

“Well, you can continue your studies after you eat,” Theo said, figuring that was a reasonable offer. 

He should have known better. 

“We don’t want to leave yet,” Jet said, going so far as to plant herself firmly behind Lapin and cross her arms over her chest. “We want to learn more.” 

“Yeah,” Ruby chimed in. “We need to continue our studies if we want to be proper princesses, you know.” 

If Theo argued with that, then the next time he tried to get them to their classes, they would use his words against him, and Theo was already too tired to have _that_ conversation. All he wanted was to serve King Amathar to the best of his ability. Why did that have to include his twin daughters and the Chancellor or all people? Theo would never forgive his past self for taking this job. Not that he had a choice.

“Well,” he said, trying to think of the best way to argue his point. “You can continue your lessons after dinner. Doesn’t that sound good?” 

“No,” Ruby said plainly. 

“I want to learn _now_ ,” Jet said, locking eyes with Theo and challenging him with a cocked hip. 

Theo really didn’t want to do this right now. He wanted Lapin to help him, to tell the princesses that the lessons were over and that it was time to leave the library. Theo didn’t dare lower himself to the point of looking to the chocolate rabbit for help though. He still had his pride. 

“Come on, girls,” he said. He wasn’t above begging. “The chefs have worked hard. And you have to be hungry after such a long day.” 

“I think we need a couple more hours studying,” Ruby said, looking to Jet for approval. “Don’t you, Jet?” 

“Oh, most definitely,” Jet said. “Wouldn’t you agree, Lapin?” 

And Lapin, well, this was the only time that Theo would ever dream of thanking the rabbit. Lapin gathered his robes around him and knocked his staff against the ground, dismissing the girls with a shake of his ears. “I appreciate your desire for knowledge, princesses” he said. “But there is a time and place for everything. Run along now. We can continue our studies after we eat.” 

Jet and Ruby made a big show of complaining and stomping their feet and huffing before they hurried off, arm in arm, hopefully heading towards the dining room even without Theo watching over them.

And then Lapin and Theo were alone in the library among the books. Just them in the stretches of the twists and turns of the aisles of books. Theo didn’t like it, mostly because he didn’t know how to plan for an attack. He wanted to be prepared at all times, and the library made that difficult. 

Theo refused to thank Lapin for the help. It would be like admitting he needed him, and Theo didn’t want to give the rabbit a big head. Instead, he gathered himself together as much as he could and attempted to make as dignified leave as he could. 

He could feel Lapin’s eyes on him as he left the library. 

Later that night, when he was herding the princesses into their beds, which was a complete hassle in and of itself. It didn’t help that they were demanding to see Lapin, knowing that their personal feud could potentially distract them so that Ruby and Jet could both escape. Theo wasn’t about to let that happen. 

“It’s not the time for books,” he insisted, standing in front of the door. It was the best way to get rid of one of the exits, though he couldn’t block the windows in the same way. “Or learning. You need sleep.” He really didn’t want to get King Amathar involved but he could use it as a threat. “Do I have to call your father?” 

Jet and Ruby exchanged a look and then immediately dove into bed, pulling the covers up over their heads and making a show of snoring and acting like they had fallen asleep immediately. Theo didn’t believe that they were really asleep, but he figured it was better than nothing. 

He waited a moment longer, just to make sure they stayed put, before sighing and walking out of their bedroom, firmly closing the door behind him. 

He headed back to the barracks. He would catch a few hours of sleep and be up by midnight to relieve the evening guard of their duty. He would keep his armor in his room then, just to make it easier when he woke up later.

Toby was still awake when Theo arrived back at the shared bedroom, sprawled on his own bunk already in his sleep clothes. When Theo walked through the doors, he snorted a laugh and then threw a book on his bed. 

Theo raised an eyebrow.

“You were asking about the Chancellor,” Toby said, already pulling his blankets up and rolling over. “There.” 

And then he laid down in a way that made it clear that the conversation was over, so Theo finished taking off the minimum of his armor before dimming his lantern and scooping up the book. He settled down in the dark and flipped it open. 

It was obviously a history book of some sort, or maybe just a personal diary recounting past events, preserved in the library as a way to remember what had happened. It included illustrations too, though Theo didn’t give them more than a second glance. 

Until he arrived at an old portrait of Queen Caramelinda, King Amathar, and Chancellor Lapin, that is. The three of them had posed in the gardens, outside the castle. King Amathar had a hand draped protectively over the small bump of Queen Caramelinda’s stomach, and they were all smiling at the painter. 

Except for Lapin, of course. 

The chancellor was off to the side with a foot of respectful distance between himself and Their Majesties. He looked noble and put together, staring down his nose at the painter who was most likely shorter than him. His typical robes were pulled tight around him, and his staff was to one side, but still included. 

Strangely though, the painter had made him darker than he was now. Theo frowned and held the book closer to the candle light, wondering if it was him or if it was a stylistic choice of the artist. 

But no, the milk chocolate trees and bushes were an appropriate brown. Theo knew those plants well enough, since he had patrolled every area of the castle at some point and the gardener was spectacular at keeping plants alive. 

Theo frowned, wondering if this was what Toby wanted him to see. He couldn’t ask, since the other gummy bear was already asleep. With a sigh, Theo closed the book and set it aside, turning off his lantern and rolling over in his bed. He’d get what sleep he could and ask questions in the morning.

******

“I think there’s some mistakes in some of the private history books in the library,” Theo said.

Lord Scotch, the swirled pile of sweet dark butterscotch with brown sugar curls wore an extravagant white lace dress that fell to just above his knees, was already holding a pile of books that needed to be re-shelved and didn’t look that concerned with Theo’s request. He barely came up to Theo’s waist in his equally delicate white sugar heels, but he didn’t look intimidated in the slightest. 

“What do you mean?” he said with a sniff. 

Theo offered him the book that Toby had thrown on his bed last night. 

Lord Scotch didn’t even look impressed. 

So Theo flipped the pages open, fumbling with nerves, until he found the picture he had found last night. Lapin looked even darker in broad daylight, and it gave Theo more questions than ever. 

Lord Scotch was barely even phased. He opened a small clutch that was hung from his waist by strings of sugar pearls and pulled out a pair of reading glasses, opening them careful and holding them onto his nose. They didn’t have the typical temples or hinges, so Lord Scotch held them in place, looking down his nose at the picture. 

There were several long moments where he silently studied the picture and Theo held the book for him.

“I don’t see anything inaccurate,” Lord Scotch finally declared, refolding the glasses and tucking them back into their case. 

Theo blinked and then looked down at the picture. “Are you kidding?” he said and then remembered himself, trying to be more respectful. “I mean, Lapin is a milk chocolate rabbit. Shouldn’t the picture be . . . . I don’t know. More accurate?” 

“Oh,” Lord Scotch said with a pretentious sniff, waving his free hand as he talked. “Well, many nobles have portraits modified, to make themselves look better than they actually were. More muscles, finer clothes, better jewelry, taller, shorter, thinner, fatter, whatever. _Everyone_ does it.”

He didn’t even give Theo a chance to talk, tapping a perfectly manicured nail against the picture. 

“But that is not modified,” he said, smoothing down the front of his dress. “If you’ll excuse my bluntness, I am old enough to remember back that far. Lapin _used_ to be a dark chocolate bunny, as bitter as they come, but . . . . well, excuse my language, but rich and decadent and as high class as the best of them.” 

“Dark chocolate,” Theo repeated, still not understanding. 

“Yes,” Lord Scotch said, now shifting into a sort of teacher-explaining-something-to-a-school-child. “As you know, the appearance of any citizen in Calorum can change depending on where they grow up, how they are raised, and who they grow up with. Of course the wonderful Chancellor was indeed a dark chocolate rabbit when that portrait was done, but with time, as most do, people change.” 

“But why?” Theo blurted. He didn’t mean to be annoying, but really, this was Lord Scotch’s job, head of the royal library and keeper of the historical volumes. 

Lord Scotch just sighed and shifted his load of books, as if they were getting heavy. “I do not know,” he said noncommittally, tiredly. “Perhaps someone entered his life, perhaps he was able to accomplish something he wanted, perhaps his job changed, perhaps a million different things happened.” 

“Well, do you know when it happened?” Theo asked. Maybe he could narrow it down even a little. 

Lord Scotch motioned to see the picture again and gave it a quick once-over, not even bothering to put on his glasses again. “Well, there isn’t an artist listed and the text only gives it a rough date. With that sort of shoddy bookkeeping, it would have to be around . . . hm, well, I couldn’t say the exact date, but most likely when the castle staff was undergoing drastic expansion.” He made a noise of disgust. “Nothing was written down during _those_ years.” 

“They were hiring more people?” Theo asked. He didn’t remember that ever happening.

Lord Scotch nodded. “You probably wouldn’t remember,” he said. “Because the Gumbian Guard was only brought in during that massive expansion. So when you all arrived, our glorious Chancellor became a bit sweeter. Probably because he had less work to do.” 

Theo had a million more questions then. Lapin didn’t have less work to do. In fact, Theo regularly had to put up with listening to him complain about how busy and full the castle was, how there were so many people and crowds, and how he could never get a moment of silence. If anything, hiring so many people would have made Lapin bitterer. 

“I have work to do,” Lord Scotch said curtly, snagging the book from Theo and adding it to the top of his stack. “If you have any more questions, you’ll have to catch me when I’m _not_ so busy. Good day to you, sir.” 

And then he was hurrying away before Theo could say anything else. 

*******

“He said it was probably around when we first arrived,” Theo said, just finishing up the whole explanation that Lord Scotch had given him but to Toby. “But Lapin hates crowds. Any time the royal family has to host one ball or party or another, he throws the biggest tantrum. It still doesn’t make any sense.” 

He and Toby were sword fighting, as was their typical way of talking nowadays. Their weapons struck without the real bite of combat, but it was good exercise and Theo needed the distraction. 

“You’re putting way too much thought into this,” Toby said, sidestepping a thrust with an overdramatic twirl. 

“I’m not putting _enough_ thought into this,” Theo said, whirling around to face Toby again. They circled each other, waiting for the other to strike. “I’m just missing one piece. One clue. I’m sure of it. If I had that, everything would make sense.” 

He lunged forward, slashing across Toby’s chest. It wasn’t the most devastating attack he could have done and he didn’t put that much strength behind him. Toby blocked it with ease, catching the blade on his own and flicking it skyward. It threw Theo’s balance off enough to have his sword arm flung up, and Toby used the momentary opening to step forward, flip his sword around, and slam the butt end of the hilt into Theo’s gut. 

The blow sent Theo sprawling into the dirt, and he scowled up at Toby for ruining their play fight.

He still accepted the hand that Toby offered and let himself be pulled to his feet. 

“You want to know what changed?” Toby said, watching bemused as Theo brushed himself off. “You really don’t know?” 

Theo just scowled. “Would I be looking this hard for answers if I knew?” 

Toby just laughed at him, infuriatingly, turning to walk over to hang his sword in its stand and grab a drink of cola. “I knew you were pretty clueless, but I didn’t think it was this bad,” he said. 

Theo continued to glare at him. “Just tell me,” he said, teeth gritted. “You’re as shifty as Lapin, I swear.” 

“It’s you,” Toby said, still laughing more to himself now though. “You’re the difference. And before you make some excuse about how you would have noticed. You’ve thrown yourself your work. You protect the royal family around the clock with minimal sleep. If you notice anything besides danger, I’m impressed.” 

Now Theo was more confused than ever. He looked down at the sword in his hands, just a training sword that was slightly blunted so that no permanent damage could be done even by accident. He tried to think of examples of what Toby was talking about, but no, ever since coming to Castle Candy, he had dedicated himself to his work, never letting himself time for leisure or personal time--because, if anything did happen to the Rocks family, he would never forgive himself.

Toby was still laughing at him, chuckled around his glass of cola as he caught his breath. “I’m just saying, Theo,” he said. “Dark to milk chocolate? The Chancellor got sweet, for you.” 

Theo opened his mouth to explain just how ridiculous Toby sounded, when he glanced up. Maybe it was some sixth sense, some sort of combat instincts or maybe just muscle memory from all the patrols he had done, but Theo glanced up without even thinking about it, and realized that Lapin was sulking in the shadows of the balcony, watching them practice and train. 

Theo’s immediate thought was slimy. What was the shifty, sly rabbit up to know that he needed to spy on them like some sort of traitor? 

But as he watched, Lapin quickly gathered himself as he realized he had been spotted. He straightened abruptly from where he had been leaning casually against a wall and gathered his robes around him. Even as Theo walked, Lapin’s face hardened and what had once been relaxed amusement became a careful mask. He even looked down his nose at Theo before turning and disappearing quickly into the shadows.

And Theo wouldn’t have thought anything of it. He would have chalked it up to Lapin being his typical weird self, but after everything he had learned and with what Toby had told him, Theo wondered if it could be something else. Maybe. There was a possibility of it. 

Had he made Lapin sweet? 

Theo would probably never know.

**Author's Note:**

> hey i'm on tumblr @manuscript-or


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